The run-of-the-river power scheme is designed to divert water from the Neelum River to the power station on the Jhelum River and will produce 969MW of electricity.

The prime minister said that the construction for the project was started in 2008 but, due to poor planning and a lack of funds, it continued to remain a major challenge. The PM added that in 2013 when the government was formed, the Neelum-Jhelum dam had only seen a progress of 10-12 per cent and several people advised the government to abandon the project altogether.

The PM, however, said that due to the government’s dedication and the vision of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the project has finally been completed. “I am a witness to the scepticism and doubts about the project. Eleven out of the 12 participants believed that the dam would not be completed, but the former prime minister